Nine CRPF personnel have been killed in Sukma area of Chattisgarh after the suspected Naxals blew up their mine-protected vehicle this afternoon. The ambush was a repeat of a similar attack last year where a dozen jawans were killed.

According to the officials, the incident took place around 12:30 PM along the Kistaram-Palodi road of the district when the troops of the 212th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were out on an operation.

At least nine men have been killed, while two other jawans suffered injuries after the mine-protected vehicle was blown up by multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) concealed under the dirt track, a senior official said.

The injured personnel are being airlifted to Raipur, they said. The rebels used a lot of explosives to blow up the vehicle, a state police official said.

Soon after the incident, reinforcements were rushed to the spot, around 500 kms from state capital Raipur, he said, adding further details were awaited.

Officials added that the first encounter between the two sides took place at 8 am and later this contingent was targeted by the Maoists.

Twelve personnel of the force were killed on March 11 last year in the Bheji area of the district and their arms looted, when Naxals ambushed their patrol party. A few days later on April 24, twenty-five personnel of the paramilitary were killed in a similar ambush in Sukma.